Zentalis Board Member Letai Emerges as Top Candidate for NCI Leadership, According to STAT
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Sep 24 2025
0mins
Candidate for Director: Anthony Letai, a cancer researcher and oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard University, is a leading candidate for the next director of the National Cancer Institute.
Community Support: Cancer scientists are expressing relief and support for Letai's potential leadership, highlighting his kindness and qualifications as a scientist.
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Analyst Views on ZNTL
Wall Street analysts forecast ZNTL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for ZNTL is 6.60 USD with a low forecast of 4.00 USD and a high forecast of 10.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
6 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 2.560
Low
4.00
Averages
6.60
High
10.00
Current: 2.560
Low
4.00
Averages
6.60
High
10.00
About ZNTL
Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on discovering and developing small molecule therapeutics targeting fundamental biological pathways of cancers. The Company is engaged in developing azenosertib (ZN-c3), a potentially first-in-class WEE1 inhibitor, for patients with ovarian cancer and other tumor types. The inhibition of WEE1, a DNA damage response kinase, drives cancer cells into mitosis without being able to repair damaged DNA, resulting in cell death and thereby preventing tumor growth and potentially causing tumor regression. WEE1 acts as a regulator of the G1-S and G2-M cell cycle checkpoints, through negative regulation of both CDK1 and CDK2, to prevent replication of cells with damaged DNA. In clinical trials, azenosertib has been well tolerated and has demonstrated anti-tumor activity as a single agent across multiple tumor types.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Oncolytics Biotech Advances Pelareorep for Anal Cancer with 29% Response Rate
- Clinical Data Breakthrough: Oncolytics Biotech's pelareorep demonstrated a 29% objective response rate in anal cancer during the GOBLET Cohort 4, significantly exceeding the historical benchmark of 10%, indicating its crucial clinical value in a setting with no FDA-approved treatment options.
- Duration of Response: Among 14 evaluable patients, the median duration of response for pelareorep reached approximately 17 months, far surpassing the standard treatment's 9.5 months, showcasing the drug's durable efficacy in heavily pretreated patients and addressing a critical unmet medical need.
- FDA Accelerated Approval Plans: Oncolytics plans to hold a Type C meeting with the FDA in Q1 2026 to discuss advancing pelareorep into a registration-directed clinical study, paving the way for potential accelerated approval if the data is validated.
- Strategic Investment and Expert Support: The company expanded its Scientific Advisory Board by adding three globally recognized experts from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center, further strengthening its strategic positioning in the gastrointestinal oncology field.
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Oncolytics Biotech Advances Pelareorep for Anal Cancer with 29% Response Rate
- Clinical Data Breakthrough: Oncolytics Biotech's pelareorep demonstrated a 29% objective response rate in anal cancer patients during the GOBLET Cohort 4 study, significantly surpassing the historical benchmark of 10%, indicating the therapy's substantial potential in a patient population with no FDA-approved options.
- Duration of Response: The study also revealed a median duration of response of approximately 17 months, far exceeding the standard treatment's 9.5 months, suggesting that pelareorep offers durable efficacy in heavily pretreated patients, addressing a critical unmet medical need.
- FDA Accelerated Approval Plans: Oncolytics plans to hold a Type C meeting with the FDA in Q1 2026 to discuss advancing pelareorep into a registration-directed clinical study, paving the way for accelerated approval if the observed data can be replicated.
- Strategic Investment and Expansion: The company is enhancing its strategic positioning in gastrointestinal oncology by expanding its Scientific Advisory Board, further solidifying its market presence in anal cancer and other indications.
Continue Reading